PUL-I-KHUMRI (PAN): Taliban insurgents stormed five polling stations, burnt some ballot boxes and threw others into a river in Baghlan-i-Markazi district of northern Baghlan province on Thursday.

Sardar Khan, IEC district field coordinator, told Pajhwok the fighters stormed polling stations in Qala-i-Khwaja, Ahmadzai, and Logari and Joe Naw areas after 2:30pm.

He revealed there were 35 ballot boxes at the stations, but election workers were able to shift 10 of them to Ghori Cement Blocks. Some of the 25 ballot boxes snatched by Taliban were set ablaze and others thrown into the river.

Sardar Khan accused the fighters of violating a deal they had reached with the government on refraining from attacks on polling centres.

Voters were deeply disappointed by the incident. Jan Ali, a resident of Logari village, said: "I went with my parents and sisters to vote. On return home, we heard gunfire. Later we learnt that Taliban had entered the polling station."

mnm/mud